should signifie the vertuous ones or the godly ones or that it is a Metonymie of the effect for the cause as the meeke for the faithful because meekenesse is the fruite of faith Indeed I take this promise of sauing not to belong to the speciall practices of that vertue onely but to the whole company of the faithfull euen to the whole Church of God called meeke not onely because they beare the Image and portraiture of our Sauiour Learne of me for I am meeke and loâ—ly in heart Math. 11. He shall not contend nor cry or roare neither shall one heare his voyce in the street a bruised reed he shall not breake and the smoking flaxe he shall not quench c. Math. 12. But because the holy Ghost would signifie by this word the hard estate of the Church in this world that they should haue need of meekenesse and patience as much as of any other vertue As for example when many Nations were gathered against the people of God saying Sion shall be condemned and our eyes shall looke vpon Sion Michah 4. And Rabshakeh shall reuile Gods people and blaspheme God himselfe Who is your God that he should deliuer you out of my Masters hands And our Sauiour should not onely be called a deceiuer by his owne people but also be gibed at by Iulian What is the Carpenter now in doing Further when his seruants should be persecuted with taunts reuilings but also with bonds and imprisonments and with cruell death When I say they were to be led as sheepe to the slaughter had they not need to be as a Lambe dumbe before the Shearer and not to open their mouth c Thus meekenesse becommeth Gods Church especially and therefore no maruell if vnder the name of meekenesse be promised saluation And this truely the Chaldee Paraphrast and some of the Rabbins commenting vpon this Text did see that they were not to be appropriated to any particular ranke of men but to the visible Church called otherwise Gods first-borne Gods flocke Gods Spouse Gods secret-ones though Kimhi as a Iew would haue it to be vnderstood of Iewes by nature and of Israel according to the flesh You see at the length who are marked out by God to enioy the benefit of protection and Saluation namely the Church of God those that haue giuen their names vnto God that tremble at his threats and giue credit to his promise and are readier to suffer wrong then to doe it But how many of these will God protect and defend The Prophet telleth vs All. Nihil excipitur vbi distinguitur nihil as Bernard saith in another case God is not a God of the Iewes onely but also of the Gentiles neither is he a God of the Elder Churches I meane in the Primitiue time but also of vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come For had not the Lord himselfe beene on our side may we well say had not he himselfe beene on our side when man rose vp against vs it had not failed vs but our soules had beene put to silence they were so wrathfully disposed at vs. They thrust sore at vs that we might fall and the plowers plowed vpon our backes and made long furrowes and thought to haue swallowed vs vp quicke at the least-wise to haue blowne vs vp quicke or dead that the name of a Protestant might no more be had in remembrance Behold we haue the name of Herod in detestation because he cut the throats of so many Infants in one quarter Of Tarquin because he cropt the heads of so many Gouernours of one Towne Of Caligula because he wished all the people of Rome had but one head that he might cut it off at a â—low Of Cinna and Marius for giuing this watch-word to their Souldiers That they should slay as many as they vouchsafed not to speake to or to take by the hand Also Vâ—sperae Siculae matutinae Parisienses Danish Wassals are recorded for barbarous effusion â—f much blood but now our men if monsters might bee called men might they haue done their worke their strange worke brought to passe their act their strange act they â—ad far passed all former butchery O mites Diomedis equi Busiridis arae Clementes c. as Claudian sayes For why the former either shed the blood of their enemies or of strangers or of their Commons did it either of feare or in reuenge or vpon a pang and an heat c. but our men deliberately aduisedly and with an high hand resolued to teare in pieces not the bodies of our Commons onely and Peeres but which my tongue abhorreth to vtter of the King and of the Queene and of the Royall seed all must haue gone one way and beene wrapped in one common bundle of destruction But the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to direct his way much lesse to effect his worke They tooke counsell but it did not stand they made a Decree but the Lord did frustrate it Wee were within a step of death and the Axe hanged ouer our head by a twine thread but the Lord arose to Iudgement hee awoke as a man out of sleepe and tooke our cause into his hand and deliuered vs from the plot which they had plotted and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were with an Engine from heauen Behold we account Isaâ—c happy that had an Angell sent to hold Abrahams haÌ„d that was lifted vp to slay him also Peter that had likewise an Angell to loose the chaines from his hands and to set him at liberty euen the night before he should haue beene arraigned Also the Prince of Câ—nde the late French Kings vncle happy that had his capitall Enemies stripped of their authority euen in the very nicke that they had meant to bring him forth to the blocke All these trusted in God he deliuered them euen at such time as the waters had like to haue ouerwhelmed them and vtterly to haue sunke them And surely our estate was not vnlike to theirs neither for danger nor for deliuerance And therefore as Moses saith in Exodus Chap. 12. of the celebrating of the Passeouer It is a night to be kept holy to the Lord because he brâ—ught them out of the Land of Egypt this is that night which all the Children of Israel must keepe thorowout their Geneâ—ations So may we say of this day This is the day that the Lord hath made let vs be glad and reioyce in it as it is in the Psalme And as it is in the Booke of Ester This is the moneth that is turned to vs from sorrow to ioy and from mourning to a ioyfull day O let vs neuer forget this mercy of the Lord neuer had any 〈◊〉 more shewed it but let vs write it in the tables of 〈…〉 with a penne of iron or with the point of a Diamoâ—â— Let vs thinke of it when we lye downe and when we rise
a place of celestiall pleasure and celestiall plenty plenty that neuer faileth and pleasures for euer-more And thus haue you our Meditations on the Text. A word more of this present occasion we haue done When I was appointed by this right Reuerend and Honorable Prelate to this seruice I found him declining any Encomium of his pr aises for well knew he what Austin hath and what hath Augustine or any of the Fathers that he knew not That the soule receiued among the blessed regardeth not the commendations of men Imitationem tantùm quaerit it liketh their imitation better But as the Elders of the Iewes to Christ in another case on the Centurions behalfe He is worthy thou shouldest doe this for him for he hath loued our Nation and built vs a Synagogue he is worthy to be remembred of vs for he loued our Nation id est vs Ministers and he furnished your Synagogues your Churches with the plentifull preaching of the Gospell The same which moued Israel so honourably to interre that good high Priest Iehoiada is our cause this day For he did good in Israel both towards God and towards his house Ye daughters of Israel weepe ouer him who clothed you in scarlet with other delights and put on ornaments of gold vpon your apparell Two singular ornaments crowned him which seldome meete in one man Learning and Humility Learning the ornament of his mind and humility the ornament of his learning Iulius secundus studying long for an Exordium to his matter was asked by Iulius Florus Nunquid tu melius dicere vis quà m potes I haue matter if I must fit it with speech I must speake better than in this cantle of time I can speake Therefore lest I should Frigidè laudare which Fauorinus liketh not I le giue it you in grosse considering his much reading with the happinesse of his memory how well acquainted with Histories Ecclesiasticall and profane with the Iewish Rabbins and the Christian Doctors with Diuines ancient and moderne with Fathers Greeke and Latin how perfect in the Greeke the Hebrew the Chaldee the Syriacke and the Arabicke tongues I am bold to affirme that there are few so learned men vnder heauen One monument of his learning haue we for which the age now doth and the children vnborne shall blesse his memory That he began with others but finished alone with one of the greatest and most learned Bishops of the Church of England set forth the new and most exact translation of the Bible wherein as it was said of Ierome for translating the Septuagint into the Dalmatian tongue he deliuered the Scriptures suae linguae hominibus to Englishmen in English The sole merit of which worke preferred him to this place of gouernment in the Church For with Basilius Magnus Non ex maioribus sed ex propria virtute Nobilitatem duxit He eennobled himselfe with his owne worth and vertue And touching his Humility as it was said of Piso so more truely of him Nemo fuit qui magis quae agenda erant curaret sine vlla ostentatione agendi No man did more good than he with lesser shew of ostentation How he decked himselfe inwardly with lowlinesse of minde and did put himselfe vnderneath himselfe euery one that knew him knew On a time and many such I could tell you a poore Minister sending in to speake with him abruptly he brake off a most serious discourse saying But the Minister must not stay lest we should seeme to take state vpon vs. Therein imitating that great and inuincible Supporter of the Faith of one Substance Athanasius of whom Nazianzene writeth that being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 growne to a super excellent height of vertue yet was he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easie of accesse and facile to entertaine the poore mans suit When in his sickenesse one hoped for his recouery he gaue the answer that Saint Ambrose gaue to the Nobles of Millaine that desired him to pray for life Non ita inter vos vixi vt pudeat me viuere nec timeo mori quoniam Dominum bonum habemus I haue not so liued among you that I am ashamed to liue neither am I afraid to dye because our Lord is good How he perseuered in the truth you shall heare Some few dayes before his death in the presence of a worthy and truely Noble Knight I heard him discourse sweetly of the Certainty of Saluation and of Perseuerance in Grace comfortable truths so much opposed by Papists Arminians and carnall Gospellers And in conclusion he did affirme That he which holds the Protestants doctrine and faith herein hath built his house vpon the Rocke and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against him Not many houres before his departure for as Ambrose of Acholius non obijt sed abijt I found him as mee seemed victorious vpon some conflict and Quis Sanctorum sine certamine coronatur What Saint was euer crowned but vpon a combat saith Saint Ierome I drew neere his bed he reached for my hand and greezed it and now you see the cause of my choise saying I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that Day This occasioned some thing concerning relyance vpon God by Faith yea said he I had fainted vnlesse I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the liuing Mention being further made of Faith and Hope and of their obiect But saith he againe in Dauids words The mercies of the Lord are from generation to generation on them that feare him Mercy brought in thoughts of Christ oh saith he in the words of that holy Martyr None but Christ None but Christ. Being told how preciously the Lord esteemeth the death of such he replyed Right deare Right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Some prayers made for him vpon his desire at conclusion he said Amen I thanke God Amen enough enough Amen I thanke God They write of Lanfrancus sometime Archbishop of Canturbury that he often prayed and obtained to dye such a death that neither hindered speech nor memory this blessing God afforded our Reuerend Bishop for as I am certified by one most deare to him and worthy to be beleeued when he was leauing this life he looked on her and on the rest of his children in the chamber present and said Christ blesse you all And like that old Patriarke Iacob he moued himselfe vpon the bed and cryed Christ Iesus helpe and so Christ tooke him and conclamatum est His soule is now at rest his name is among the Worthies of the Church his estate is with his children and now are we to returne his body to the dust from whence it was taken The best fruits shew their goodnesse when they haue lyen let him lie a while and mellow let
short time allowed them must make but short baites by the way and cannot stand to take euery acquaintance that they meete by the hand and as they that are to paint or to print a pitched field within the compasse of a sheete or two of paper can make but few Soldiers whole or compleate but are faine to set downe for the most their heads onely or their helmets so hauing many things to â—andle and within the compasse of a short houre I must be content to touch onely the heads of the greatest part of them and as for long discourses I must let them alone We haue seene deare Christians by many signes and tokens that the vaine-glorious man is no way gracious with God but contrariwise very odious to him but why he should be so odious to him and so farre out of his bookes wee haue not seene You shall vnderstand therefore that God hateth pride and all that pertaineth to it not of any emulation for who can come neere vnto God within any degree of comparison that hee should be afraid of him emulation is a kinde of feare of the worth or rising of another lest he should top vs but of pure iustice and for the due demerit of the sinne For shall the axe or saw boast it selfe against him that vseth the same Esay chap. 10. Shall the pitcher exalt it selfe against the potter or the thistle say I am not a thistle who made vs of one blood to dwell vpon the face of the earth who tooke vs vp when we lay polluted in our blood euen when we lay polluted in our blood who tooke vs vp and said vnto vs Liue who deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne in whom we haue redemption in his blood euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes who payd our ransome for vs when we were not worth a groate cast his garment ouer vs to couer vs when we lay starke naked and which is as great a mercy or benefit as any of the former who passeth by our iniquities and winketh at our faults whereby we trespasse against him daily and hourely I say who hath forgiuen vs and giuen vs so many things and so many mo who but the Lord Now this being our condition and none other and we being thus obnoxious to God and defectiue in our selues is it for any of vs to talke of his sufficiency being ouer head eares in debt or to please himselfe in his beauty being blacker then a Blacke-more why then art thou proud earth and ashes why doest thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued that which thou hast nay why doest thou not couer thy face for shame because of the manifold pollutions wherewith thou art distayned Yet foolish man will be wise naked man will be gay filthy man will be pure though man new-borne is like a wilde Asses colt as Iob saith Now when the Lord seeth this namely that for all the cost and charges that he is at vpon vs yet that we remaine vile and beggerly and for all our vilenesse and beggerlinesse yet that we will not be acknowne of it but contrariwise stout it with him and beard him and taâ—â— vnto our selues stiffe neckes and proud lookes is it any maruell if the Lord hate pride which worketh this strangenesse and breach betwixt him and his creatures For but for pride which like that same Albugo or white spot in the eye dimmeth our vnderstanding nay douteth it many times thâ— similitude is not mine but Gregories in his Pastoralls and but for selfe-loue the mother ofpride which maketh vs pur-blind at the least Isidorus Pelusiota sayth of the affection that we beare to another that it is pur-blind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more then is it true of selfe-affection we should know God and the height of his fauour and the breadth of his loue and the worth of his pardon and so be prouoked to greater thankefulnesse towards him also wee should know our selues and the summe of our debt and the depth of our misery and so bee stouped and humbled and vrged to make supplication to our God To these two duties of humility and thankefulnesse the whole Law and the Prophets and Euangelists and Apostles and whatsoeuer is written in the Booke of God and whatsoeuer thence is to be colleâ—ted may in some sort be referred and therefore forasmuch as pride is such a speciall hinderance to the performance of these speciall duties no maruell if the Lord haue the same in speciall detestation Adde hereunto that as Tertullian calleth the Commandement that God gaue Adam in Paradise Matricem omnium Praeceptorum Dei The very matrix or wombe of the Commandements of God and as Theodoret calleth Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A very Ocean of all Diuinity and as some haue called Rome Epitomeâ— vniuersi An Epitome or abridgement of the whole world so it may be said of Pride that it is the summe of all naughtinesse and a very Sea of it and there is no sinne almost but pride participates with it It is a kinde of Idolatry it maketh a man to bow to himselfe and to burne incense to his owne yarne as the Prophet Habbakuk speaketh it is a kinde of sacrilege it robbeth God of his honour euen of the honour of sauing of vs freely and working all our works in vs as Esay voucheth It is a kinde of drunkennesse it maketh a man to erre from a sound iudgement to speake and to doe things absurdly The proud is as he that transgresseth by wine saith the Prophet Fourthly it is a kinde of murder it slayeth the soule while it maketh it to doate vpon it selfe euen as the Ape killeth her young one by clipping it too hard Fifthly it is a very adultery it coupleth vs to another from the Lord euen to selfe-conceit If we say saith Augustine that we are any thing and doe not giue the glory vnto God Adulteri sumus nos amari vâ—lumus non Sponsum we are plaine adulterers we would haue our selues to be loued and not the Bridegroome Sixthly a false witnesse and a lying glasse it is making vs beleeue that wee are that that we are not faire when wee are foule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loue and selfe-loue much more maketh those things thaâ— are not faire to seeme faire it so blindeth the eye Lastly it is most couetous and most enuious hunting after praise as after a prey and not daining that others should come neere them within many leagues Stand apart come no neere mee for I am holier then thou said those proud hypocrites in Esay Thus as Aristotle saith out of Theognis that in Iustice all vertues are couched together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summarily so it may be said of pride that in it all vices are lapt vp together as it were in a bundle and therefore God hating euery sinne
made her the very dore by which we enter into Paradise shut by Eue opened by her the very window whereby God doth looke vpon vs with the eye of mercy the very Ladder of Iacob whereby our deuotion ought to ascend vnto God and his blessing descend vnto vs. Was this yet the worst Truâ—y no. But as it is said in Ezechiel so may we say Behold greater abominations then these For they were not content to make her a Mediator for intercession but also they make her the Mediaâ—resse of Reconcilement and Propitiâ—tion ioyning her in the Commission of Mercy and Merit with our Sauiour Christ yea making her many times more mercifull then he In the prayer of Anselmus held for currant this is read Hee that hath offended let him cast himselfe downe betweene them both Pie Domine parce seruo matris tuae pia Domina parce seruo filij tui c. O Pitifull Lord be fauourable to the seruant of thy Mother O pitifull Lady be fauorable to the seruant of thy Sonne Dic mundi Iâ—dex cui parces dic mundi Reconciliatrix quem reconciliabis Tell vs thou Iudge of the world whom thou wilt spare tell vs thou Reconciliatresse of the world whom thou wilt reconcile if thou Lord wilt condemne and thou Lady wilt reiect a poore man that confesseth your vertues louingly and his owne sinnes mournefully Thâ—s Anselmus most blasphemously And were they ashamed of this euâ—ll in Queene Maries dayes Nay they were not ashamed for aâ—â—â—he light of the Gospell that had shined before vnto them â—or euen in their Primer setforth then by authority they rely vpon the blessed Virgins merits as wee doe vpon our Sauiour and ascribe vnto her the power and honour of sauing and defending and deliuering c. Shall I recite vnto the yonger sort a place or two for they that are old may remember it themselues In the third houre thus they reade The dolorous Passion of Christs sweet Mother bring vs to the blisse of Almighty God the Father And in the sixth houre O blessed Lady O singular Virgin in perfect mâ—ekenesse all other excelling deliuervs from the bondage of sin and make vs meeke and chaste in liuing make vs euer pure life to ensue guide vs euer vpon â—ur iourney that we beholding the face of Iesu may ioy with him in heauen alway Thus in that place and as bad in diuers others I haue not shewed you as that how they make the blessed Virgin many times more mercifâ—â—l then our Sauiour and how when Christ was resolued to destroy the world for their sinnes she being moued with pity became suppliant vnto him and so turned away his wrath c. But because I haue other matters behind vntouched and the comparison being so odious and sacrilegious as it is Therefore I will forbeare by word of mouth to vtter it and referre them that care for such matters for Doctrine to Iacobus de Voragine and the booke called Sermones Discipuli and for examples to Vincentius Antoninus whereout they may haue enough to choake them You haue heard Wel-beloued that it was of Gods mercy and fauour and of his fauour onely that the blessed Virgin was called to that honour and dignity to be the Mother of her Lord and our Lord and therefore as she most frankly and deuoutly confessed so much so wee must beware lest vnder the colour of honouring the Mother with other honour then of praise and imitation which is due vnto her we doe not dishonor and so offend the Maiestie of the Sonne who is God blessed for euer This I haue touched the rather because many among vs bee not as yet purged from their former superstition and Idolatries but notwithstanding that they haue beene earnestly laboured and exhorted that they would returne from their vaine and thankelesse wil-worships to serue the true and liuing God the Creator of whom are all things and wee of him the Redeemer in whom are all things and we in him the holy Spirit through whom are all things and we through him yet without commandement without praise without example of any that were Godly for certaine hundreds of yeeres after Christ they will needs inuocate the blessed Virgin in their necessities troubles nay put their trust in her in deifying a creature which Epiphanius doth abhorre and forsaking God that bought them by a spirituall kinde of fornication which the Scripture doth euery where detest Well hauing spoken so much of the first part of Christs wonderfull Conception it is time wee now come to the second namely His wonderfull Birth And beare a Sonne Or rather bringeth forth a Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which words the Prophet signifieth that it should not goe so hard with the mother as it did with those women which Hezekiah spake of though allegorically The children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth Nor yet that the child should be so vnhappy as Iob wished himselfe to bee in the 3. chapter of his booke Why dyed I not in the birth or why dyed I not whâ—n I came out of the wombe But rather that it should goe no worse with her then it did with the Church and her child Esay 66. Before shee trauelled she brought forth and before her paine came she was deliuered of a Man-child And againe Shall I cause to trauell and not bring forth Shall I cause to bring forth and shall I be barren saith thy God As if he said Forasmuch as it is I and none other that helpeth women in their ordinary trauels and giueth them quicke speed or slow speed as it pleaseth Me You may thinke with your selues whether it be an hard thing with Mee to cause the mother to bring forth without paine euen while you will say What 's this Indeed among the strange and wonderfull things that Bernard said were in the Mother of Christ these were not the least that she was Sine grauamine grauida sine dolore puerpera her burden was not burdenous vnto her her trauell was not painefull Whereto agreeth that saying of Hieronym against Heluidius Nulla ibi obstetrix nulla multerum sedulitas intercessit ipsa mulier obstetrix fuit She had no Mid-wife to helpe her no Side-woman to assist her shee was both Mother and Mid-wife too and well she might be bearing and bringing forth such a Child as was free from originall sinne which you knowe is in part the cause of womens trauell nay which sanctifieth whatsoeuer is sanctified and of whose fulnesse all doe receiue euen grace for grace This is He which is prophesied of by our Prophet Esay chapter 9. Vnto vs a Childe is borne and vnto vs a Sonne is giuen and the Gouernment is vpon his shoulders and He shall call him Wonderfull Counsellour The mighty God The euerlasting Father The Prince of Peace This is he that was prophesied of by Ieremy The dayes come that I will raise
thy lap Or who wil deny that God gaue the Israelites victory against the Medianites because they brought Pitchers into the field and light in the Pitchers Or that God did not feed them with bread from heauen and water out of the rocke for that they gathered the one and brought vessels at the least their mouthes to receiue the other It is one thing to be the true cause of a thing the conduit-pipe or fountaine another thing to bring a bucket nay not so much as that but to bring onely a mouth or a hand to take it Indeed i◠God should say to vs as Marius did to his Souldiers I can helpe you to water but you must buy it with blood or as Saul did to Dauid 1. Sam. 18. Thou shalt haue my daughter in marriage but shee must cost thee an hundred foreskins of the Philistims or as Caleb said to his men Ioshua 15. I will bestow my daughter vpon one of you but hee that will haue her must first win Kiriath-Sepher hee must quit himselfe like a man and fight valiantly then it were another matter then might some say The way of the Lord is righteous onely it is not liberall it is but hire for seruice wages for merit He loued vs for we loued him first doth for vs for we did for him But now when he saith vnto vs Beleeue onely and the Lord will doe great things for thy soule trust perfectly in the grace of God that is brought vnto thee in the Gospell and thou shalt become a child of Abraham an heire of God and fellow heire with Christ euen a vessell of Saluation who can impeach or blemish Gods bounty and liberality with the least note of mercinarinesse for he that saith Beleeue the Gospell and it will saue thee seemeth to say in effect no more then this He that hath an eare to heare let him heare as it is in the Gospell or Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it as it is in the Psalme or Wash thy selfe in Iordan and be cleane as it is in the holy Story Now as this maketh much against our Aduersaries that are merit-mongers So it maketh nothing at all for Gospellers that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and thinke that because they pretend a faith that they may doe all things and be excused for all things This therefore shall be the twofold vse of this Circumstance of the quality that ought to be in the persons to be saued by the Gospell both for confutation that the Aduersaries of our free iustification by Christ preached in the Gospell be proued to be false Teachers deceitfull workemen c. And for reprehension that if any man thinkes he may vse the cloake of faith for a colour of vnrighteousnesse that he be vnmasked Which points I cannot stand now to enlarge vnto you hauing already pressed vpon your patience but will referre the handling thereof to some other time To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost three Persons but one euerlasting and indiuisible God be ascribed all power might Maiestie and Dominion now and for euer Amen Amen A SERMON VPON THE SECOND OF KINGS· THE FIFTH SERMON 2. KINGS 18.13 Moreouer in the foureteenth yeere of King Hezekiah Sennacherib King of Asshur came vp against all the strong Cities of Iudah and tooke them THE Prophet hauing declared in the foure verses immediatly going before my Text what griefe King Hezekiah and his faithfull subiects had suffered by hearing what Gods enemies had done to their brethren those of the ten Tribes in destroying their Country burning their Cities killing a great number of them carrying away the remnant of them into captiuity all this because oftheir wickednes rebellion against God Now here at the 13. verse he beginneth to shew what and how much they suffered in themselues And what was that Surely they were not onely afflicted with present euils as of the spoiling and sacking of most of their Townes of the exhausting of their Treasures both prophane and sacred and with blasphemous reuilings of them and of the true God whom they worshipped c. but also with feare of future euils as namely that the mother-Citie it selfe the glory of that Kingdome Hierusalem should be taken their Temple destroyed their King and Nobles led away their young men slaine with the sword their women abused c. And which did most of all vexe the soule of the righteous that they that were so sawcy with God as to blaspheme him before the victory would if they should preuaile be hardned in their villanies and say of a truth that the Iewes worshipped a thing of nought This is the summe of the euils mentioned in this Chapter and in part of the next partly suffered indeed of the faithfull partly suffered in feare and expectation Now what mercy the Lord shewed them in the end and what confusion he brought vpon their enemies the same is described towards the later end of the Chapter following Let vs now take the Story in order as it lyeth hauing thus before-hand pointed at the generall heads The first thing that I note vnto you is The continuance and progresse of troubles to the Church noted in this word Moreouer Good Lord might one say what a world is this one depth calleth on another one misery in the necke of another Finis alterius mali gradus est futuri The end of one mischiefe is a step to another as Seneca saith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labour bringeth labour vnto labour as it is in Sophocles Why no sooner came Hezekiah to the Kingdome but hee must presently in hand with a reformation and what reformation Surely not of slight matters which might be borne with but of things which immediatly concerned the glory of God he was to purge out Idolatry which had taken deepe roote in the time of his wicked father and to settle an order for the right seruice of God which for a long time was decayed This and more hee was to doe which purchased to him great charges great jarres and great contradiction Now he was no sooner out of this but his neighbours nay his brethren according to the flesh the Israelites are inuaded by the common enemie These hee dare not helpe lest hee should bring present mischiefe vpon himselfe Againe he must see them perish before his eyes though hee knew that his owne day was comming and after that the enemy had done with them then he would haue a saying to him This was bitter euen as bitter as death but yet for all this the wrath of the Lord is not turned away but his iealousie burneth like fire and catcheth hold vpon the Iewes themselues In the foureteenth yeere of Hezekiah Sennacherib came vp against all the Cities of Iudah c. Loe not long after they had beene the beholders of a Tragedie they were made to be Actors that is sufferers in it themselues This is the image of mans life
and if there had beene any friendship betweene the parties they solemnly renounced the same But now in this weake old age of the world where the Lyons skin will not reach there they itch it with the Fox skin and nothing seemeth vnhonest that will serue their turne nay as children are deceiued with huckle-bones or with Puppets so many seeke to circumuent Princes vnder pretences This is the new Diuinity that our enemies haue learned and this they and we may thanke the Iesuits and the Councell of Trent for the Councell of Trent as being the broachers the Iesuits as the practizers The Councell of Trent they defined that whosoeuer would not receiue their Decrees had forfeited their Kingdomes ipso facto and might lawfully be inuaded by whomsoeuer The Iesuits they grin like a Dogge and goe about the Citie as it is in the Psalme nay like the Enemy of mankind mentioned in the 1. of Iob they compasse the earth round about and buzze into mens eares that keeping of faith out of the Church of Rome is not faithfulnesse but perfidiousnesse Thus they Howbeit as Tertullian said of one that excused his running away by Vir fugiens iterum pugnabit one said so I grant saith Tertullian but he was a cowardly runne-away himselfe So may it be said truly that he that would not haue faith or promise to be kept to a man of a contrary Religion is a man void of faith himselfe For if it be not necessary to keepe our promise made in the name of God and by swearing by him then it is not lawfull to make any such promise Otherwise in that we sweare we shew our selues to be afraid of him to whom we sweare that is of man but in violating the same oath we shew our selues not to be afraid of Him by whom we sweare that is God himselfe This by the way to their Doctrine and practice who are moued with no conscience to inuade them whom they hold to be out of their faith not onely without defiance sending but euen against a League solemnly made And let so much be noted from the example person of Sennacherib the Inuader First what a dangerous thing it is to drawe strangers into a Land Then how vnsatiable a thing Ambition is Lastly what a violent thing it is Now let vs come to the person that was inuaded Hezekiah by name and see how wee may profit by him In the foureteenth yeere of Hezekiah So my Text. This Hezekiah wel-beloued was not an ordinary man but comparable to any of the Kings of Iudah that were before him or after him If Piety be to be respected He did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that Dauid his father had done verse 3. If Zeale He tooke away the high places and brake the Images and cut downe the groues c. verse 4. If Faith and assurance He trusted in the Lord God of Israel and was peerelesse in that respect verse 5. Further if Constancy and perseuerance He claue to the Lord and departed not from him c. verse 6. Finally if valiant acts and good successe in warre The Lord was with him in all that he tooke in hand and he got a famous victory of the Philistims his bordering enemies verse 7 8. This manner of Prince was Hezekiah so religious so zealous so faithfull so vertuous so constant so valiant so successefull And who would haue thought that he being so precious in Gods eyes should haue beene so much honoured in the world and hauing deserued so well of his owne subiects should for the same haue beene no lesse beloued and regarded of his neighbour Princes Indeed it pleaseth God many times to reward vertue and specially piety with such reuerence from men that either for feare or for loue they are suffered to enioy their owne quietly So Salomon had peace forty yeeres together almost round about him on euery side and Iudah and Israel dwelt without feare euery man vnder his Vine and vnder his Fig-tree all the dayes of Salomon 1. Reg. 4. So Abimelech King of the Philistims came to Isaak a priuate man a stranger desired to enter into a League with him Gen. 26. We saw certainely saith he that the Lord was with thee and we thought thus Let there be now an oath betweene vs thou shalt doe vs no hurt as we haue not touched thee c. So Iacob though he had greatly offended Laban his vncle and Esau his brother yet the Lord so wrought for him by mollifying the hearts of the other that they durst not not onely doe him hurt but not so much as speake a rough word vnto him This is that that Salomon saith in the Prouerbes When a maâ—s wayes please the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be his friends And which Satan enuyed to Iob Doth Iob feare God for nought Hast thou not made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on euery side Howbeit though it spiteth the Deuill to the heart to see the faithfull specially faithfull Princes to be guarded and protected by God and to be regarded and reuerenced in the world yet for all that the Lord vouchsafeth them that grace many times As the example of Constantine at the first stablishing of the Gospell proueth To whom the King of Persia nay most of the barbarous Kings of those dayes as Eusebius shewth sent presents and desired his friendship As the example of Fredericke surnamed the Wise and Fredericke surnamed the Confessor Dukes of Saxony in the time of restoring the Gospell in those later times that I may not name Gostaue of Sweathland and the free Cities of Germany to whom the Lord shewed such mercy that they were suffered without trouble almost to build a Temple for the Lord as it were I meane to enact Lawes for the true seruice of God for the abolishing of Superstition doe abundantly declare It is very true therefore that as God hath made many hills so high that there is no wind to be felt vpon the top of them and some stones so hard as the Adamant that they will not be broken with any hammer and some trees also so fat and so oyly as the Bay-tree that the Winter stormes haue little power on them though they make the most trees besides to let fall their leaues So there haue beene some in the world so graced and priuiledged by God that euen those things which doe vsually strike thorow other men Enuy and Malice I meane haue had no power to enter vpon them at all They haue beene placed by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of gunneshot vnder his owne wings as it were and vnder his feathers they haue not beene confounded neither of the Pestilence that walketh in the darkenesse this is secret Enuy neither of the Plague that destroyeth at noone-day this is open and professed Malice Lo thus haue some beene blessed that feared the
Lord presently rise vp and come among them were they deliuered as soone aâ— they groaned O no The King sent and deliuered Ioseph the Prince of the people let him goe free but when his feet were first hurt in the stockes the yron entred into his soule He was many yeeres in prison first So the Israelites were hardly dealt with in Egypt by their Taske-masters that thâ—y cryed out for the very anguish of their hearts Againe in the Land of the Chaldees they serued tenne Apprentiships before they had leaue to returne to their Countrey This for the faithfull before Christs time As for the faithfull since as God in the 15. of Gen. told Abraham Know this of a surety That thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serue them and shall be euill intreated but the Nation whom they shall serue will I iudge and afterward they shall come out with great substance So you shall find that the Church had but little peace or rest for the better part of foure hundred yeeres after Christs comming in the flesh and in the later perillous times prophesied of by the Apostles Antichrist had no sooner gotten to high strength which he compassed in Gregorie the seuenths time by superstitious false-hood established in Innocent the third his time by bloody Lawes but the faithfull went to the post and wandred vp and downe hungry and naked and had no dwelling place and were counted as the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things yea the time was that whosoeuer killed them thought he did God good seruice and this for the most space in a manner that the persecution lasted in the Primitiue time This may suffice to shew Gods patience both towards his seruants and towards his aduersaries The second thing is his Iustice. For although God make a shew as though he were asleepe and saw not what is done as also he sometimes maketh a shew as though he heard not yet for all that at the appointed time he will not faile an inch but comming he will come and will not breake and the iust shall liue by faith but woe be to the wicked it shall be euill with him the reward of his hands shall be giuen him The Lords Seate is prepared for Iudgement and the Lord ruleth ouer all if he whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on Iudgement hee will execute vengeance on his enemies and reward them that hate him Hee will make his arrowes drunke with blood and his sword shall eate flesh c. Deut. 32. This for his Iustice in punishing the wicked as for his Iustice to right the Godly and comforting of them you know what 's written in the 12. Psalme Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighs of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and set at liberty them whom the wicked hath snared It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with him For that the righteous should be euen as the wicked be that farre from God said Abraham Genes 18. In this world many times there seemeth to be but a small difference betweene the deuout and profane the pure and polluted him that sacrificeth and him that sacrificeth not Thus all things seeme to fall out alike to the one and to the other nay the wicked seeme to be the warmer and to haue a greater portion in this life What then is the way of the Lord vnrighteous God forbid nay let God be iust and all men sinners as it is written But this it is The Heauen of Heauens is the Lords and for them to whom it was appointed euen for them that call vpon him in truth and thinke vpon his Commandements to doe them but the earth and the commodities thereof He distributeth without respect of persons euen to them that are his children by creation onely and not by adoption But yet there is a difference betweene the prosperity of the one and the other for the ones is but with anxiety of heart euen in laughter their heart is heauy the others is with cheerefulnesse and ioy in the Spirit the ones is a pledge of the greater preferment in the world to come the others is their whole portion and as if God should say Let them take that and looke for no more the ones is with the blessing of the people who wish they had more the others with their curse and hatred who are grieued that they haue so much Briefly the one flourish but for a time and often fore-see the ruine of their house in their life-time but generally within a few Generations their name is cleane put out but now the other hauing their house built not with blood or oppression but vpon the foundation of Iustice feele no shaking or tottering of it while they liue and when they are to leaue the world they are full of hope that their house shall not be like the grasse on the house tops which withereth before it commeth forth Psalme 129. but that it shall continue for a long season euen for many generations Therefore let not the godly be discouraged because he is kept downe and troad vpon neither yet let the wicked be bragge because their imaginations prosper for God hath not forsaken the earth neither hath he forgotten to doe Iustice but his eyes are ouer the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers as for the wicked his countenance is set against them to roote out the memoriall of them from off the earth God is iust let this content the godly he telleth all their bones so that none of them are broken he hath all their teares in his bottle will right them in due time And that God is iust let this appall the wicked he shall cast vp that which he hath gotten vnlawfully the Lord will draw it out of his belly God ariseth to Iudgement This we haue considered of It followeth To saue all the meeke of the earth It is good to be zealous in a good matter alwayes sayes the Apostle to be wise to doe good and in euill to haue no skill as the Prophet doth intimate So it is good to rise betimes to serue God to doe the workes of righteousnesse of mercy and of our lawfull and honest vocation that is pleasing to God that is well reported of by men Abraham did so he rose vp early in the morning to offer a sacrifice to the Lord which he had prescribed So Iob rose betimes to offer for himselfe and his children The good Lepers blamed themselues for sitting still hauing so good newes to impart to their neighbours touching the great plenty of victuall the Lord had sent them by the running away of the Syrians So the people rose in the morning to come vnto Christ to heare him in the Temple Luke 2. And Lysias the high Captaine caused
the mind to be expressed or at the least shadowed by the apparell of the body and the getting or possessing of these qualities to the attiring or adorning of the same You know what Saint Peter saith Decke your selues with lowlinesse knit it vnto yâ—u make it your girdles as it were And Saint Paul to the Galatians As many as are baptized haue put on Christ. And to the Romanes Put yee on the Lord Iesus make him your bearing-cloth as it were So to the Ephesians Cast off conceâ—ning the conuersation in times past the old man c. and put ye on the new man make him your inwaâ—d garment So to the Colossians As Elect of God holy and beloued put on the Bowels of mercies gentlenesse humblenesse of mind meekenesse long suffering make them your outward garment Many such places may be found in the new Testament For the old let one be in stead of all Let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them on thy necke make them thy chaine and write them vpon the Table of thine hea t make them thy Tablet I will trouble you with no more Citations Now this and the like kinde of phrasing may be thought to be vsed by the holy Ghost for two causes First because wee are dull of vnderstanding and cannot conceiue of spirituall matters but by carnall descriptions secondly because he would draw vs away from that which is viler to that which is more precious from that which is pleasing to our senses to that which is profitable to our soules Further this phrasing our Sauiour and his seruants may be obserued to haue vsed in others matters besides apparell Doe you tell me that my mother and my brethren would speake with me Hee that doth the will of my Father in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother He doth not deny his carnall kindred but preferreth the Spirituall So in Saint Iohn Doe ye aske me who hath brought me meat My meate is to doe the will â—f him that sent me So againe Doe yee bragge that ye are Free-men and were neuer seruants to any If the Sonne hath set y u free then are yâ—u free indeed but if yee commit sinne then are yee the seruants of sinne So the Apostle will ye know what is the riches to be accounted of Godlinesse is great riches if a man be content with that he hath c. Would yee know what Sacrifices be best To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased So Bernard Would you know where be my merits My merit is the mercy of the Lord while hee is not voyd of mercy I am not voyd of merit So Chrysostome Would you know what 's the best fast To fast from sinne So Prosper The best keeping of Holy-dayes is to feriat from dead workes Yea out of the Church you shall find this figure and phrasing to be vsed Where are your children Epaminondas My children are my victories said he and namely that gottâ—n at Leuctra they will perpetuate my name Who is the best Patriot The best Carthaginian Hostem qui feriet mihi eâ—iâ— Carthaginiensis What 's the bâ—st Diuination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The best Diuination is to fight fâ—r ones Country Who is the most Capitall Enemy What the Noblest Conquest To conquer ones affections that the greatest Conquest and sensuality the deadliest enemy So what 's the best Fortresse A good Conscience What true Nobility Vertue To returne to the faithfull Nazianzâ—n hath a good speech to our purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Shame-fastnesse is a faire flowre in a Maidens garland Palenesse that is a great ornament Vertues they be the brauest platting of the haire Thus he and Tertullian before him Vestite vos Serico probitatis c. Put on the Silke of honesty thâ—â—iffiny as it were of Sanctimony and the purple of Chastity Taliter pigmâ—ntatae Dâ—um habebiâ—â—s amatorâ—m If you trimme your selues thus nay if you paint your selues with this kind of painting you shall haue God himselfe your Louer By this time I know you are more then satisfied that â—ob in saying he did put on Iustice made it his garment did speake no strange thing but that which many both of the Church out of the Church haue spoken And this to drawe vs from that which is too much â—steemed to that which ought onely or chiefely to be esteemed Certainely gold and siluer and purple and scarlet and the like and garments and ornaments made of the same are not of themselues common or vncleane Euery creature of God is good saith Saint Paul And euery Ordinance of man not repugnant to the Ordinance of God is obediently to bee yelded vnto saith St. Peter Both Riches and Honour come of thee O Lord c. and it is in thy hand to make great and to giue strength 2. Chron. 29. And He that hath set some aboue their brethren in dignity for the maintenance of peace and order hath prouided for such more costly ornaments and habiliments for the better distinguishing of them from others Esau the elder brother had fairer clothes then Iaaâ—ob the younger Gen. 27. And Ioseph being promoted by Pharaoh was not scrupulous to weare a Ring of gold and a chaine of gold and Silke or fiue Linnen Gen. 41. No more was Daniel scrupulous to be clothed in purple being aduanced by Belshashar Dan. 5. No more Morâ—ecat to be brauely mounted and gorgeously apparelled by the appointment of Ahashuerus as it is in the Booke of Esther Nothing that entereth into the belâ—y defileth a man if his heart be cleane So nothing that is put on the backe if his heart be humble Howbeit as one may be a glutton and highly offend the Maiestie of God iâ— he feed aboue the measure of moderation though meates of themselues be things indifferent So let a man prate neuer so much that his heart is vpright that he is not high-minded and hath no proud lookes yet if hee weare apparell beyond the compasse of his calling or other then Law doth allow he lyeth and speaketh not the truth but maketh himselfe a grieuous transgressor Meates for the belly and the belly for meates saith the Apostle And so apparell for the backe and the backe for apparell and God shall destroy both the one and the other True yet as he that weaâ—eth should not despise him that weareth not So he that weareth not should not iudge him that weareth for God hath called vs in peace This I speake not to giue way to braueing and flaunting the speciall sinne of this age for the which the Land mourneth and fadeth and seemeth to be pressed downe with it as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues as the Scripture speaketh or to excuse them that offend that way By no meanes but to remoue
dealt so cruelly with vs But now when the Precept of humiliation is to the Creator of all things shall flâ—sh and blood disdaine to submit it selfe to God weake flesh and blood to the mighty hand of God It was a reason that Iosephus vsed in his Oration to his Countrey-men to perswade them to submit their neckes to the yoke of the Romanes for as much as they had gotten the Dominion of the greatesâ— part of the world The same reason vsed Rabshakâ—h to them that were besieged in Ierusalem that for as much as the King of Assyria had subdued many other Nations strong and mightie therefore they might with credit enough yeeld Dignitate Domini minùs turpis est conditio seâ—uâ— By the honor of the Master the base estate of the seruant becommeth more tolerable It was some comfort to Marcus Antonius hauing wounded himselfe to death in desperation that he was ouercome not by any base coward but by a valiant Roman AEnaeae magni dextrâ cadis So Aeneas bade one comfort himselfe Salâ—em ne lixae manu cadam saith the valorous Admirall of France Slay me and spare not but yet not by the hand of a skullion Let not a boy slay vs said Zibah and Zalmumah Iudg. 8. but rise thou and fall vpon vs for as the man is so is his strength Therefore for as much as we are required to humble our selues vnder Almighty God who made the heauens and the earth by his great power and by his stretched-out Arme and nothing is hard vnto him Ieremy 32. Behold he will breake downe and it cannot be built he shutteth vp a man and he cannot be loosed Iob 12. He putteth his hand vpon the Rockes and ouerthroweth the mountaines by the roots Iob 28. For as much I say as he is the Creator of the Spirits of all flesh not onely of their bodits and doth what he will both in heauen and earth turning man to destruction and againe saying in mercy Turne againe ye children of men Shall we bridle it or bristle it against him shall we scorne to answer when he calleth obey when he commandeth sorrow and mourne when he chasticeth shall we receiue good of the Lord and then to be vnthankefull euill and then be impatient Nay rather let vs hearken to the Commandement in my Text Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God and to the promise annexed that he may exalt you Foelix Ecclesia saith Austin cuise Deus debitorem fecit non aliquid accipiendo sed omnia promittendo Happy is the Church to whom the Lord hath made himselfe a debtor not by receiuing any thing at her hands but by promising all things Surely though the Lord had onely commanded bade vs on our Alleageance to imbrace humility and to remoue arrogancy farre from vs we were bound euen for the Commandement sake to yeeld all obedience to it For doth not a sonne honor his Father and a seruant his Lord And are we not his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which he hath appointed that we should walke in them Againe if he had tendered the vertue humility vnto vs in it owne kind without any painting without any sauce as it were were it not worthy to be looked vpon nay to be tasted nay to be swallowed downe as most wholesome meate Whatsoeuer it seemeth to you of the wise it hath beene esteemed either the most excellent or the most necessary of all vertues Some call it the Rose of the Garden and the Lilly of the field Some the Queene of all vertues Some the mother Some the foundation and ground-worke Some the roote Certaine it is saith Bernard Nisi super humilitatis stabile fundamentum spiritale aedificium stare non potest A spirituall building cannot stand steady except it be placed vpon the sure foundation of humility Augustine goeth further and saith to Dioscorus that it is the first thing in Christianity and the second and the third and almost all in all for saith he except humility doe both goe before and accompany and follow after all whatsoeuer we doe well pride will wrest it out of our hands and marre all Therefore humility is to be thought vpon and by all meanes to be coueted after euen for the very worth of it though there were no promise annexed to it to drawe vs on But now when God is so good and gracious to vs as to promise vs promotion for the issue and cloze wee must needs shew our selues very dull and very vnhappy if we doe not striue for it as for siluer and digge for it as for treasure The Husband-man is content to goe forth weeping and to bestow his precious seed so that he may returne with ioy and bring his sheaues with him So euery one that proueth Masteries is content to abstaine from all things so that he may obtaine a Crowne though the same be a corruptible one So the Souldier to approue himselfe to him that hath chosen him to the Warfare The Captaine and specially the Generall to get glory what paine and hardnesse doe they sustaine or rather what doe they not sustaine It is written of Alexander I will trouble you but with one Story that being in the farther parts of Asia one while striuing against heat and thirst another while against cold and hunger another while against craggy Rockes another while against deepe and dangerous riuers c. he could not containe but burst forth in this exclamation O yee Athenians what difficulties and dangers doe I endure for your sakes to be praised and celebrated by â—our pennes and tongues Now if to be extolled by the pennes and tongues of vaine men could preuaile so much with a Prince tenderly bred and of great estate should not wee much rather submit our selues to Gods will and pleasure and prouidence and euen deny and defie whatsoeuer worth may seeme to be in vs that hee may aduance vs and bring vs to honour God surely vseth to make great ones small and smal or meane ones great as Xenophon speakes Nay the blessed Virgin being moued by the holy Ghost acknowledgeth as much He pulleth downe the mighty from their seat and exalteth the humble and meeke He maketh high and maketh low yea he maketh them high that before were low if in humility and meekenesse they possesse their soules Dauid kept his fathers sheepe and was not ashamed nay he braggeth of it in an holy kind of reioycing in the Psalme That the Lord tooke him as he followed the Ewes great with Lambe to be a Ruler in Iacob and a Gouernour in Israel So Agathocles so Willigis to trouble you with no more the one was exalted to bee King of Sicily being but a Potters sonne the other to be Archbishop of Mentz a Prince Elector in Germany being but a Wheelers sonne They acknowledged Gods prouidence and worke in their aduancement and were so farre from being ashamed of their base parentage that the one would not
an earth-quake as many better Cities haue beene than that so many examples of more then inhumane immanity should haue beene shewed by it To be short it putteth me in minde of the vile speech of Plautus so much detested by Lactantius Plautus had said He doth very ill that giueth an almes to a begger Nam illud quod dat perit illi producit vitam ad miseriam that is For both that which he giueth is lost and by lengthening the beggers life he doth but lengthen his misery This speech of Plautus Lactantius as I told you doth hold for detestable and so he might well for it is an enemy to charity without which no man shall see the Lord and crosseth and confronteth the purpose and prouidence of God as much as sinne may doe For God therefore causeth some to be poore some to be rich that not onely the poore might be more humble and the rich more thankefull but he by communicating the offices of giuing and receiuing Christian neighbour-hood and loue might be the better maintained and increased Therefore let this be no motiue vnto vs to shift poore soules away because they seeme to stand in our way because we must be at some three halfe-peny charge vpon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Oh two halfe-pence what force are yee of to saue or to kill said one in the Comedie but we must remember that we are commanded to cast our bread vpon the waters Eccles. 11. euen where we thinke it cast away and that we are promised after many dayes we shall finde it Againe He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he that soweth liberally shall reape liberally Albeit it would seeme a small liberality would serue the turne if good order were taken For they that of themselues can be content to worke for their liuing in the Gaole before their tryall when they are not sure of life why should they not be much more willing after their repriuall when their life seemeth to be giuen them for a prey If the worst come to the worst they may be forced to worke for they ought not to looke for more fauour than they who are in an house of correction where he that will not labour is not suffered to eate Thus as Saint Paul saith concerning Virgins I haue no commandement of the Lord yet I giue my iudgement as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull So I haue beene bold euen without warrant or commission to shew what I thinke to be the more excellent way for mercifull proceeding towards them that be light offenders and I wish with the Greeke Orator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with the Latine Poet Viue vale si quid nouisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his vtere mecum Well I haue treated of Rulers and shewed first that Ciuill Rulers are here meant and not Ecclesiasticke Secondly that in the iudgement of the Syriacke and Arabicke Paraphrasts Iudges and the like Magistrates are specially pointed at Thirdly that there is no reason that they should be esteemed for terrible and that they are not of themselues terrible to any but onely to such as haue a terrified that is a guilty conscience As for good men and innocent to them they are not terrible but per accidens namely First if false forsworne witnesses haue their scope against them Secondly if they being not well able to speake for themselues such as can helpe them and giue testimony to their innocency should be repelled Thirdly if any corrupt or malicious persons that haue vowed their destruction should be suffered to passe vpon their tryall Lastly if they should not find fauour to be repriued either in a doubtfull case or for a small offence notwithstanding they cannot reade In this case in my poore opinion I know not how politicke it may be thought but sure I am it is charitable mercy should triumph against Iudgement as the Apostle speaketh Thus farre I haue proceeded already now by the tenour of my Text I am tolled-on to answere an obiection against Saint Pauls speech namely how he could say truely that Rulers were not terrible in his time when Nero that ruled the roast then was such a monstrous Tyrant euen such a one that Tertullian saith It was no discredit vnto the Christians but rather an honour that he was the first that lifted vp his hand against them hauing first beene at defiance with all vertue This for the chiefest Ruler As for his Delegates Scholers know out of Suetonius what was the Commission he gaue vnto them namely to pill and powle and ransacke and take such order or rather disorder that no man should thinke any thing he had to be his owne but that all should be brought tumbling into the Tyrants coffers And must not such Rulers High and low necessarily appeare terrible This is one point therefore that I might discourse vpon if the time were not past Secondly hauing shewed how Rulers are terrible to euill doers I might take occasion by that which followeth immediatly to shewe how by their institution they are comfortable to the pious and vertuous but one contrary may easily be vnderstood by another This for the latter point and for the former you are to vnderstand that Paul wrote not this Epistle to serue for Neroes time onely but for all succeeding ages And therefore though he were as bad as bad might be yet there might come worthy Princes after him and againe though many of his Officers were bad like their Master yet he had many good Howsoeuer their persons were bad yet their calling was sacred and venerable and therfore their faults to be winked at and their manners to be indured I forbeare to be further troublesome The Lord giue a blessing to that which hath beene spoken already Amen A SERMON VPON THE FIRST OF SAMVEL THE FOVRETEENTH SERMON 1 SAMVEL 25. verse 29. Yet a man is risen to pursue thee and to seeke thy soule but the soule of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God and the soules Hebr. soule of thine enemies them shall he sling out as out of the middle of a sling MY Text is a part of the Supplicatory Oration that Abigail the wife of Nabal made vnto Dauid when he was comming against her and her husband and their family in fury and in wrath In which Oration she sheweth so much wise eloquence and eloquent wisedome that neither Aspasia or Hortensia so much praised by the Grecians and Romanes No nor the woman of Tekoa and of Abel surnamed The wise woman 2 Sam. 14. 2 Sam. 20. may in any degree be compared to her My husband saith she that did thee wrong in not doing thee kindnesse is but a foole I am sorry and ashamed to say so much but Nuda nudè loquor It is in vaine to cast a couering vpon that which will not be hid
the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable vnto his death if by any meanes I might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead Thus he and all tend to this that he may be sure of a blessed Resurrection at the last day The discretion of a man maketh him to prouide in Summer for Winter in youth for age But if the soule be better than the body heauen than earth God than the world things eternall than things transitory it shall be our Wisedome in the sight of God and men to lay vp a good foundation against that Day when the Lord shall appeare to Iudgement For first It is a dreadfull time for then the Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2 Thess. 1.8 By the dread of that Day is described some time of fearefull punishment on sinners in this life as some learned iudge or if that Day it selfe be there meant as others conceite marke the astonishment thereof Reuel 6.12 And loe there was for it is as sure as if already acted a great Earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as a sackeâ—loth of haire and the Moone became as blood and the Starres of heauen fell vnto the earth euen as a figge tree casteth her vntimely figs when shee is shaken of a mighty wind and the heauen departed as a scrole when it is rolled together and euery Mountaine and Iland were moued out of their places Should we see such things now What would our feare and amazement be How would not our hearts within vs melt with perplexity Surely that Day that shall end all times and the course of all things in this world must be to man a hideous time For the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men c. hid themselues saith the Spirit of prophesie making things present that are to come in dennes and in rocks of the mountaines and said to the mountaines and rocks Fall on vs and hide vs c. from the suffering perhaps of momentany things And what will they do at this Day As it was said of the last end of Ierusalem so of this time and most truely Then shall be great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world till then 2. T is the time of tryall and of the great Assize If a man be to be tryed for life how doth he prouide against the time to cleare his innocency or to plead his pardon Then it comports euery man to be ready with his plea that he be not condemned Magistrates Ministers people For we must all appeare before the Iudgement Seat of Christ that euery man may receiue according to that he hath done in the body whether it be good or euill Thirdly As it fareth with vs then so must it stand with vs for euer No reuersing that Sentence by a writ of error no appeale from thence to a Court of Chancery Mercy accepted in this our Day shall be shewed then refused here shall be denyed there And the execution shall follow To them on the left hand it shall be said Goe ye cursed To the on the right hand Come ye blessed And so long as eternity lasteth and the immortall soule liueth yea so long as God is God the reprobate shall be in the torments of hell and the righteous in the ioyes of heauen Now it would make a mans heart to shiuer and his flesh to tremble to see how in other matters men carefull of euery trifle and of euery complement obseruant neglect this matter of greatest consequence Would you thinke that a man that trots from Lawyer to Lawyer to secure and assure lands would not be a better husbandin greater matters When Parents be so carefull to get an estate to leaue to posterity would they be imagined to be vnprouided of a place for themselues at need If euill be towards another we can pity him if an Oxe be in a pit we can helpe him out we can euen pity a Dog in his hurt yet not be touched towards our selues in the extremest danger of extremest misery as if nothing were cheape with vs but our selues nothing vile but our owne soules If a man had the keeping of the blood of Christ in a violl how chary would he be of it We haue the custody of our soules committed to our selues dearer to Christ as Saint Bernard obserueth than his owne blood and shall we not be most tender of them Trifles in themselues are trifles and some things that beare some shew in comparison with others of more weight are trifles Now to the soule of man and his welfare at the Day of Christ all the Kingdomes of the world are but trifles for what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and to lose his owne soule or what recompence shall a man giue for his soule Be intreated therefore Brethren in conclusion be intreated by the sweet mercies of God by all the sufferings and intercessions of Christ by all the ioyes of heauen by the great charge which God and Nature haue committed vnto you of your owne soules oh by the glory and dread of that Day be intreated to prepare that it may goe well with you then and that ye may be numbred among the blessed Here to liue and lye with swine is abhorred and it is much more to be abhorred to liue with Deuils and damned spirits in hell Might those who now suffer the scorching of those hellish flames haue offer how readily would they apprehend it to be deliuered thence And how should we beware and vse all possible meanes that wee come not there They had their time and they lost it our time is now Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the Day of saluation 2 Cor. 6.2 Heauen may be had oh deare Christians lose it not cast vp your account mourne for your sinnes make your peace with God through the blood of Christ bring forth fruits of Regeneration Offer your selues sacrifices to God holy and acceptable and if ye finde these things hard if to you impossible call in Christ to your helpe Christ will informe your minds mollifie your hearts regenerate your wits subdue your affections purge your consciences rebuke Satan and giue the victorie the Crowne Assure your selues as the Church doth her selfe saying His left hand shall be vnder mine head and his right hand shall embrace me he will stay me with apples and comfort me with flagons And as our Saint Paul himselfe I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ that strengthneth me Idle not out your time with the foolish Virgins lest the gate be shut against you but with the wise Virgins get oyle into your Lampes the oyle of knowledge the oyle of faith the oyle of holinesse the oyle of praises let your Lampes be trimmed and your lights flaming that ye may enter with the Bridegroome into the bridechamber